Photographic-film sheath



W. F. FOLMER.

PHOTOGRAPHlC FILM SHEATH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1919- v PatentedSept. 7 192 0.

IN VEN TOR, $7 w B Y A TTORNE YS.

M W &/ 4 5 N V L I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. FOLMER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,

PART, OF BOCHISTER, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-FILM SHEATH.

Application filed November26, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. F oLMER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of -New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic-Film Sheaths, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to sheaths for holding photographic film so as to facilitate their use in plateholders and magazines. The object of this invention is to provide such a sheath or septum into which a sheet of cut film may be readily thrust or placed and as readily removed; which, while permitting the film to be slid smoothly into its proper position therein, will at the same time hold it securely in such position; which will hold the film flat and without tendency to buckle; which will itself be flat upon both surfaces so that several sheaths may be placed one upon another and so that they can be slid one over another without any protuberances that will catch and obstruct movement; which will be compact and which is simple in construction and operation, easy to use in a dark room and of low manufacturing cost. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved. sheath with the film partially inserted therein;

Fig. 2 is an end view of one edge of the sheath;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 taken in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the sheath;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on line 55 of Fig. 4 taken in the direction of the arrows.

In the several figures of the drawing like reference characters refer to like parts.

The sheath is made from a single piece of thin sheet metal and comprises a central flat portion 1 having overhanging flanges 2 alongits side edges. These flanges are bent up, as shown at 3, at right angles to the plate 1 and then again at right angles as shown at 4, so that the upper surface thereof lies parallel to the plate. The overhanging edges of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1920. Serial No. 340,862.

these flanges are inclined inwardly toward the plate, as shown at 5, leaving a space between the edge and the plate which is just sufficient to allow a film to slide readily thereunder. Along the rear end of the plate is formed a flange 6, side wall 7, of which is perpendicular to the plate and an overhanging flange 8 of which is parallel throughout to the plate. At 9, where the rear and side flanges meet, the material thereof is beveled as shown. The rear edges of the side flanges are not beveled in a straight line, but the ends 'of the inclined edges 5 thereof are cut so that they protrude under the rear overhanging flange 8, as shown at 10, for reasons which will hereinafter appear. Extending longitudinally of the sheath and under the flanges 2 are struck up beads 11 which extend nearly the length of the flanges but terminate an appreciable distance from each end thereof, as shown, forreasons which will presently appear. It is to be noted that the beads are to be located well within the flanges and back of the inclined edges thereof.

In use, a sheet of cut film 12 of suitable dimensions to fit the sheath is thrust endwise alon the upper surface of the central plate. 1' hen the advancing edge 13 of the film is introduced into the sheath, the ends thereof engage under the open ends 14 of the side flanges, since there are no protuberances or obstacles to obstruct their entrance. The film at this moment lies perfectly flat, as indicated in dash lines in Fig. 2. It is, therefore, not necessary in inserting the film to bend or fit it to suit an awkwardly shaped sheath, but it is merely slid in without the need of attention other than to make sure that it goes under the flanges, which is not a diflicult operation. When the edge 13 of the film has advanced a short distance into the sheath, it encounters the rounded ends 15 of the beads 11 and the extreme side edges of the film are bent upwardly, as shown at 16, the inclined edge 5 of the side flanges holding the central part of the film flat against the central area of the sheath. The film is ady anced further into the sheath until its edges engage the head for nearly their whole length. As the inclined edges 5 continue past the front edge of the over- ASSIGN'OR TO EASTMAN KODAK COM-' hanging flange 8, as shown at 10, they inreduce the advancing edge of the film easily and without hindrance thereunder, and this action is aided by the fact that the rear ends 17 of the beads 11 do not extend quite to the rear end of the sheath.

l hen finally in position, it is apparent that the angular disposition of the edges of the film tends to cause the film to assume a rearward curve which it is, however, prevented from assuming by the flat body portion of the sheath. ,This tendency, which maintained by the natural resiliency of the film, causes it to lie flat and without any tendency to buckle forwardly. The structure of the sheath, however, is such that it flat and without projecting portions on either side, and a series of sheaths can thus be placed flat one upon another. The upper surfaces of the flanges constitute bearing surfaces upon which one sheath can slide over another. Moreover, because they are flat and without protuberances, they can be inserted as units into plateholders of ord nary design intended for glass plates. They are also well adapted for use in magazines where it is necessary for one to slide over another, and for this purpose a number 18 is placedupo-n the bottom surface of each sheath, which may be inspected through a non-actinic window,- such as are commonly placed in magazines. There is no projection within the sheath to impede the progress of the film. as it is advanced into position or to render difficult or an certain its operation in the dark room, but the film will advance naturally and smoothly into its proper place, where it will be held firmly in the flat position so desirable for photographic exposure.

.Vhile l have shown a continuous longitudinal bead as the preferred form of protuberance by which the edges of the film are inclined forwardly from the surface of the sheath, it is obvious that any other design of protuberance may be employed. ll hilel have here shown the preferred empodimient of my invention, it is to be understood that l contemplate the use of all equivalent structures embodying the invention herein disclosed andmore particularly forth in the claims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

-l. A sheath for photographic film consisting of a flat plate having at its edges flanges overhanging one surface thereof with the upper surfaces of the flanges parallel to the plate, means in connection with the flanges for holding the edges of film inserted in said sheath with a forward inclination, whereby the body of such a film will be held flat.

2. A. sheath for a sheet of flexible material comprising a sheet of stiff material having overhanging flanges along both side edges, the flanges being open at the front end for the insertion of sheet material, and

having their longitudinal edges inclined toward the plate, and protuberances formed in the sheet beneath the flanges and behind the inclined edgesthereof.

4. A sheath for a sheet of flexible material comprising a sheet of stiff material having overhanging flanges along both side edges, the flanges being open at the front end for the insertion of sheet material, and having their longitudinal edges inclined toward the plate and beads formed in the sheet longitudinally of andv beneath the flanges and behind the inclined edges thereof, the beads terminating short of the open ends of the flanges.

5. A sheath for a sheet of photographic film comprising a sheet of stiff material hav ing overhanging flanges along both sides and the rear ends, the edges of the side flanges being inclined toward the body of the sheet and the rear flange being parallel thereto throughout and overhanging the rear ends of the inclined portions of the side flanges- 6;. A sheath for a sheet of flexible material comprising a sheet of stiff material having overhanging flanges along both sides andv thefrear end, the edges of the side flanges being inclined toward the body of the sheet and protuberances formed in the sheet beneath said flanges and behind said inclined edges, the rear' flange being parallel to the sheet throughout and overhanging the rear ends of the inclined portions of the side flanges. v

7. A sheath for photographic film 'com prising a flat sheet of stiff, opaque material having overhanging flanges along both side edges and the rear edge, the edges of the side flanges being'inclined toward the body of the sheet and longitudinal beads formed in the sheet beneath said flanges and behind said inclined edges and terminating short of one end of the side flanges, the rear flange being parallel to the plate throughout and overhanging. the rear ends of'the inclined portions of the side flanges.

8. A sheathfor photographic film comprising a flat, rectangular, sheet-metal plate having overhanging flanges, the top surfaces ofwhich are parallel to the plate, along bothside' edges and the rear edge of the plate, the side flanges being open at the flan e being parallel to the plate throughfront end and each having its longitudinal out and overhanging the rear end of the inedge inclined toward the plate for its enclined portions of the side flanges. l0 tire length, and a longitudinal bead formed Signed at Rochester, New York, this 21st 5 in the plate beneath each side flange and day of November, 1919.

behind the inclined edge and terminating short of each end of the flange, the rear WILLIAM F. F OLMER. 

